Shadows of Midnight
by Cryptika
Summary: Post-Twilight Princess   Link is feeling the heartache after Midna leaves the Light Realm, but when a sudden call to action from the Resistance comes, it may prove to be so much more than a simple quest... rated T for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

_-Greetings, people of Jupiter!...er, I mean, Earth! _They _call me Incandescence, but you can call me Desi. This is my first story published on FanFiction, so I hope you enjoy it! You know, this story actually wasn't planned...it was born from one of those boredom-spur-of-the-moment-things. Yay! Thought babies! Desi didn't use a brain condom! :D -_

_-I don't own the Zelda game titles, characters, or locations. I just own the idea for this story. I wish I _did _own Zelda, because certain things would have changed in Twilight Princess... *grumbles unhappily* -_

"HEEEEYYY!" Fado's voice rang out from the ranch. "ANOTHER ONE GOT OUT!"

As if to punctuate his words, the sound of pounding hooves began to echo through the short valley-like pathway from the ranch gates. Link, broken out of his conversation with Mayor Bo mid-sentence, turned towards the sound of the runaway Ordon goat and braced himself for the escapee.

It didn't take long before the goat came galloping madly down the hill, its circled, shield-like horns lowered to bulldoze anything in its way.

The goat collided with Link's ready stance, fighting to throw his grip on its horns so it could continue its race for the forest beyond the village. Grunting, Link wrestled with the goat, his muscles straining, until he managed to flip it over.

Wild escape thwarted, the goat scrambled to its feet and began a slow walk back to the ranch, head hung as if in shame.

Link turned back to the mayor, shaking his head apologetically. "Sorry about that," he amended, giving the goat a final glance. "This wouldn't happen if Fado would remember to close the gate."

Bo chuckled deeply. "Quite alright, Link. Don't know what we would do if we didn't have you around," he said, giving the young swordsman a half-smile.

It was at that moment that his daughter, Ilia, came bursting out of the house behind him.

"What was that? Is everyone okay? Where's Epona?" The flood of questions went unanswered as she ran over to where Link's chestnut mare was standing calmly, unfazed by the commotion of the runaway goat.

Ilia, true to form, began looking over Epona as if she had just been through a war field. "Beautiful girl, you weren't scared, were you? You're such a brave horse," she cooed to the mare affectionately. Epona blinked her big brown eyes and blew a big exhale in Ilia's face, who laughed.

"Link, stop putting Epona in such dangerous situations!" the girl rebuked, turning to him. "You're going to get her hurt one of these times."

Link gazed at her evenly. "Ilia, Epona was with me nearly the entire time I was fighting the Twilight," he reminded her, feeling a dull, sad pull in his mind as he remembered a certain event following the final battle. "She was never hurt, and when I wasn't riding her I left her in one of the springs where she was safe."

Lacking a response to that, Ilia turned back to the horse and began pulling her fingers through Epona's cream-colored mane and murmuring praises to the mare. Link shook his head, ever confused by Ilia's strange ways.

"I'm going to head home, if there's nothing else you need me to do," he said, turning back to Bo. "Hopefully I can get some sleep."

Bo nodded at him knowingly. "Go on home, Link," he replied, "You look like you haven't slept in a good while."

Wasn't that the truth, Link thought. Honestly, he hadn't slept well since returning home from Hyrule. His mind was plagued with the same scene replaying over and over again, the sound of shattering glass still fresh in his mind as if it happened yesterday...

Catching hold of Epona's reins and pulling himself into her saddle, Link waited for Ilia to finish her session with the horse before touching his heels to her side and urging her into a quick jog towards the path at the end of the village.

Once he reached the clearing that housed his treetop home, he dismounted Epona and tucked her away in the little niche beside the house, nested in the tall grass. Running a hand through his tousled blond hair, he sighed and began the climb up the ladder to his front door.

In earlier times, the warmth of his home would have offered him comfort-the luminescent fire casting an amber glow around the house and the fond memories of his life in Ordon all around him in little reminders: A perfect falcon's feather from the first time he called the magnificent bird. A curved, spotted shell from the Spring where he spent summer days with Ilia or the children. A picture of Epona, and another of he and Ilia when they were young. A small collection of fishing trinkets from his many fishing adventures with Colin.

But the warmth and familiarity of his home no longer offered him solace from the memories that haunted him since he returned as Hyrule's Hero. His mind was inconsolable-no matter how much he tried to escape the thoughts that prowled his mind in sleep and consciousness, he could no find solitude from the reminders of the events that tore his heart in two.

Link filled a bowl of soup for himself from the pot that had been simmering since noon. He sat down to eat at the coarse wooden table, worn from years of use, and part of his mind reminded him what it was like to eat when he was on his heroic crusades across Hyrule. For the past month or so that he'd been back, he nearly always had to remind himself that he could actually _sit down_ to eat; he didn't have to take his food with him as he galloped valiantly across the plains. Whether he was on horseback or as a wolf, food was of little concern to him.

The thought of his sacred beast form brought back other painful memories, lingering thoughts of his devious but wonderful companion. Those were thoughts that seemed to attach themselves to the crevasses of Link's mind with steel thorns, reappearing when he least wanted them to and bringing pain with them.

He forced himself to say her name in his mind. Midna. The sarcastic, snarky little imp that had turned out to be a courageous, beautiful princess of the realm parallel to his. Who was willing to sacrifice her own life to save not only her world, but his as well. Who had left him standing bewildered in the Mirror Chamber that star-filled night with Zelda as she traveled back to the Twilight, leaving little more than an unfinished sentence, and then, "see you later."

He couldn't 'see her later,' though. Midna's last act in the Realm of Light was to shatter the Mirror of Twilight, the only portal between their worlds.

Why did this leave such a nagging ache within him?

Because, in the seemingly-ephemeral time they had spent together, companions with the same goal of saving their worlds, Link had fallen in love with her.

Even when she was an imp and he had no knowledge of her true form, Midna began to tug at his heartstrings. Little things; her bravery, her sarcasm, the way she was ready to give up everything to accomplish their goal. Even when he was in wolf form and she tugged on his ears to get him to focus, or she felt the odd need to jump on his back so his breath whooshed out of his chest with a huff, Midna was slowly capturing his affection.

Link pushed his soup around in the bowl absentmindedly, his appetite escaping him once again. His thoughts of Midna only furthered his lack of hunger; his brain insisted on feeding on the dismal energy his thoughts gave birth to.

Sighing and rising from his chair, he walked over to the window and pushed it open to set the bowl of soup on the sill. Perhaps the forest animals would get more out of the food than he did; besides, it was already cold and he felt sure that his appetite would not be returning anytime in the near future.

Link climbed the ladder to the dresser where he kept his clothes, shedding himself of the simple blue tunic and brown trousers he wore when working on ranch. He dropped the dirty clothes in the heap beside the dresser, noting that the pile was getting large and he would need to go to the creek for a wash or take them to Sera (who was more than willing to do his laundry.)

His Hero's Tunic was tucked away in the very bottom drawer, hidden in the back corner under a stack of plain shirts. He had no need for it since he was back home; there were no enemies threatening Ordon and he felt it was wrong to wear such honored attire for herding goats. Not to mention that the chain mail seemed a little heavy when being worn for no reason.

Although his soft bed seemed welcoming as Link climbed into it, he didn't feel like sleeping. His mind was too hyperactive. This was the cause of his usual insomnia-he was surprised he hadn't dropped to the ground from lack of sleep lately.

Nonetheless, he tucked himself under the covers and stared at the roof, frosted with the glow of the dying fire, waiting for sleep to claim him and wishing deeply that he could see right through the ceiling and the night sky itself, right into that other realm that held his love...

_-I fully intend to continue this story... I like where my mind is planning to take it..._

_-Rate, review, etc... Feed my brain monster...for it is hungering for moar chapterz!-_

-_Desi_


	2. Chapter 2

-_Hi again. :) If you've returned for chapter 2, congratulations! Because this is DEFINITELY chapter 2 and NOT a cryptic alien inscription meant to brainwash you and sell your brother/sister/hamster for a star cruiser. :D_

_*NOTE: This chapter is mainly the recap of the events involving Link and Midna in Twilight Princess. It's kind of long and drawn out so you don't have to read it if you don't want to. I'm already working on chapter 3, so if you want you can skip right to that when it goes up._

_-I don't own anything from Zelda... (darn...)-_

Epona's low neigh of greeting from outside brought Link out of his shallow half-conscious state, the familiar sound letting him know exactly who was in the clearing below. Pushing the covers aside listlessly, he climbed out of bed to throw on a clean pair of trousers.

Not surprising him at all, a moment later a knock came at his door. Link opened it to find none other than Ilia, proving his assumption right as to who Epona had been greeting.

"Good morning, Link," Ilia said, her eyes trying not to stray from his face as a light blush colored her cheeks at his morning shirtlessness.

Link absently brushed his messy golden hair back from his face to give her a sleepy halfhearted smile. "Morning, Ilia. Did Bo send you to find me?" he asked, assuming that Fado had forgotten to lock the ranch's gate again like the last week.

Ilia shook her head, a strand of her ruffled hair falling in front of her eyes briefly before she pushed it back into its place again. "I can't come and see my best friend without it being on a request from my father?" she prodded, giving Link a small smile.

The swordsman scratched the side of his neck. "Right, sorry. Come on in." He moved his arm from blocking the doorway so Ilia could make her way through and into his warm living area. "I can't offer you breakfast, though. I haven't exactly been up for long and I didn't think of making anything. Sorry."

Ilia gave him a sad look as she sank down into one of the chairs by the fireplace, now lacking a fire. "Don't be sorry, Link. I'm the one who feels sorry for you; I mean, look at you-" she gestured to his sallow form. "You've lost your edge."

Link glanced down at his torso dully. He still had the golden tinge to his skin that came with working on the ranch all the time, and his muscles were still clearly defined after all of the combat he'd gone through in the past months. But he did look... somewhat forlorn. His lack of appetite was beginning to show and his skin no longer held the healthy glow of a happy Hylian.

"I haven't been sleeping well, I guess," he shrugged, however knowing full well what the cause of his 'losing edge' was.

Ilia's gaze strayed to the window behind Link, where the now-empty bowl sat on the wooden sill. "Was that your dinner?" she asked, giving him an accusing but soft gaze.

He looked over his shoulder at the empty bowl that had indeed contained his uneaten dinner. The animals had definitely had more of a hunger for his meal than he had-only a small puddle of the soup remained at the bottom.

"Yes... I mean, it was supposed to be, but I wasn't hungry." He knew Ilia would see right through his excuse, but he threw it out there anyway. If anyone had noticed his newfound hopelessness with the world, it was Ilia.

Her gaze didn't waver. "I know, Link. You 'haven't been hungry' for weeks now," she said, her expression clearly letting him know that she figured something else was behind his lack of desire for his meals. "I've seen you eat, but... only in small portions. Sometimes it's like you don't even realize you're doing it- just eating out of habit."

He shrugged. He knew exactly what the cause of that habit was-he'd developed it over the course of his journeys since Midna was always reminding him that he needed to eat to keep up his strength.

"Link..." Ilia began, her voice softening to that of a best friend, a caring ally that was worried about his well-being. "Something happened after you defeated Ganondorf, didn't it? Something that's made you so sad." Her delicate brow furrowed as she thought on the subject. Link said nothing, willing his mind to stop bringing up pictures of the night of Midna's departure that Ilia's words summoned.

Her hands fisted in her lap as she contemplated hard. Link watched her emotionlessly, knowing that she could not have known about Midna, since every time he had been near Ilia the Twili imp had been hiding in his shadow.

Her green eyes found his blue ones again as she came up with an idea. "Was it Zelda?" she suggested, her gaze prodding him to tell her more information. "Link, did something happen with you and Zelda?"

Link shook his head firmly, turning to drift over to the window and lean out of it with his elbows on the sill. Butterflies flitted around the feathery grasses near the path to the village, reminding him briefly of "Princess" Agitha and her fixation with the golden bugs she'd asked Link to run all over Hyrule to gather for her Ball.

Princess Zelda hadn't captured his interest in the short time he'd spent with her. Maybe if things had been different, maybe if Midna had never come into his Realm and he'd had to save Hyrule from a different sort of evil. Maybe then something would have blossomed between himself and the Princess, something good and whole and wouldn't leave him with this aching throb in his heart. Then again, if things had been completely different, perhaps he would have remained a simple farm boy, stayed in Ordon and married Ilia, settled down and started a family.

But things hadn't gone that way, and now he was left here, painfully restricted to a single Realm, far from the girl who he had fallen desperately in love with.

Ilia rose from the chair to join him at the window, her eyes searching his face for any hint of what he was thinking of. "Someone else, then?" she asked softly, wishing intensely that he'd talk to her like he used to do before he left for Hyrule.

Link was silent, and Ilia took that as an agreement to her guess. "Who was she?" she asked, her tone cautious. "What happened?"

The young swordsman let out a sigh, figuring that he had might as well tell her or she'd never be satisfied. "You never met her when we were traveling," he began, his eyes faraway as if he was staring through the clouds themselves, or at least wishing he could. "Her name was Midna. She was the Twilight Princess, cursed by Zant-who I told you was the usurper King of Twilight-and he changed her into an imp, so she came here searching for someone to help save her world.

"I was in a... different form, too, when she saw me. That's when she knew I was the hero who would save her Twilight Realm. When the Shadow Beasts attacked me, just after you were captured, they imprisoned me in Hyrule Castle, where Midna found me and helped me escape." A light smile touched his lips. "At first I thought she was the most annoying little thing. So demanding-like I was her slave or something. My goal was just to be rid of her-an animal's thoughts, I suppose, because that's what I was at that point in time.

"But then as I learned that I was the Hero of Time, supposed to save all of Hyrule from the invasion of Zant and Ganondorf, and my quest went on, Midna grew on me. She thought that she was just a little imp who would be shamed in front of her people, but I saw through that." Link's gaze dropped to the ground below, where Epona stood in her niche, dozing in the shade. "You never saw her because while we were in the Light world, she was hiding in my shadow," he explained, as Ilia seemed like she was still wondering why she hadn't seen Link's object of affection. "Then again, much of the time I saw you, you had no memory of me at all. But Midna was with me wherever I went... I don't think I could have made it through without her.

"I think I realized I loved her when she was nearly killed by Zant," he remembered, the memories flooding back to him. "I carried her on my back in my other form all the way back to Hyrule Castle, through the sewers and passages under the castle until we reached Zelda's chamber. I remember my panic to get there, knowing that every second wasted was a moment of Midna's life slipping away." Link shook his head, demanding that the moisture in his eyes retreat to where it came from.

"When I first defeated Ganon-Ganondorf's beast form-he turned back into his true form and Midna warped Zelda and I out of the castle to take Ganondorf on by herself," he continued, that lost look back in his eyes again. "I couldn't believe what she'd done; her willingness to give her life up if she had to to save my world, even after her own world had already been restored. I waited for what seemed like eternity outside that castle. Zelda couldn't console me; I felt like I would go mad with each minute that passed. When Ganondorf appeared on his stallion holding the fused shadow that Midna wore on her head, I nearly sprang for him then and there. I would have, but Zelda stopped me and reminded me that Midna's death should not have to be in vain. That's the only thing that kept me alive, I think.

"That was my energy source that I fed off of. Through the battle with Ganondorf, all I thought of was Midna. How she should not have died the way she did; how it should have been me. The anger fueled me, and I believe even now that it was the rage that allowed me to best the king and destroy him." He stopped for a moment, as if he was watching the events repeat themselves right in front of his eyes.

Ilia's gentle hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present. "I'm sorry," she murmured, thinking that was the end of his story. "She didn't die in vain. You made sure of that."

Link shook his head again. "When I defeated Ganondorf, the Spirits of Light appeared, right over the horizon. When they disappeared again, I saw a figure on the hill. So I ran, faster than I had even during the fight." He smiled lightly, remembrance clouding his mind. "I didn't recognize her at first; her cloak hid her face. But when she rose from where she was kneeling and turned to me, I knew exactly who she was. Somehow, the Light Spirits brought her back to life and the curse on her had been lifted-she'd regained her true form as the Twilight Princess.

"I was speechless," he recalled, a short laugh escaping him as he remembered his reaction to seeing the beautiful Twili girl. "And of course, with her never-ending sarcasm, she remarked on it." Another laugh. "I thought everything was over, that somehow we could exist as two beings of different realms. I knew she would have to return to her people, to her Twilight, and I'm not sure what I would have done. Follow her there? Promise to visit? Even now I'm not sure... But I know what I would have said to her if I had the chance," he said, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I would have told her that I loved her and she was the most wonderful and brave person I had ever met.

"But I didn't get the chance to say that. We returned to the mirror chamber, and Zelda reminded both of us that the beings of Light and Shadow could not mix. I think she could see how I felt about Midna, and that I wasn't thinking too clearly." His brow crinkled as he, for the hundredth time, tried to figure out Midna's parting words. "I barely understood what was happening at that time. Zelda said that as long as the Mirror was intact, we could see each other. The events that followed still escape my comprehension. A tear fell on Midna's cheek, which she levitated and it turned as bright as a star. She cupped it in her palm and pushed it towards the Mirror. As she did, she said 'Link... I... ...See you later.' That's when she stepped into the portal just as the Mirror shattered into pieces as her teardrop collided with it."

A tear fell from his eye as he recalled that fateful moment in the Chamber. "And that's why I've been acting so strangely," he finished, not wanting to meet Ilia's eyes so she wouldn't see the sadness reflected in his.

"There's got to be some way to find her again," she said, trying to console him like she used to when they were children. "Some portal you didn't know about before, maybe another mirror..."

Link shook his head. "She would have known about it. She was the Princess of her Realm; I don't think something like that would evade her knowledge."

As much as he wanted to hope for something like another way to Midna, he knew that hoping for something like that would only lead to another painful letdown.

Ilia was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again she took hold of Link's hand and pulled him with her to the door. "Well, sitting in here and starving yourself isn't going to remedy what happened," she reasoned gently. "I don't think she would want you to die of starvation, would she?" She pushed the door open and gave him a soft nudge outside. "Go and ride Epona around the ranch for a while, maybe take her jumping. She needs the excersize and you need the fresh air."

As if to punctuate her statement, Epona neighed from her corner and stomped her hooves impatiently.

Link ran a hand through his hair and gave the horse a half-smile. Then he turned to Ilia, who was blocking the door. "Thanks, Ilia," he said, offering her as warm a smile as he could muster. "But can I put a shirt on first?"

-_Whelp, there you have it. Link's long brooding story about losing Midna. On a side note, even _I _was in tears at the end of this game. I can sit through _Titanic _and not bat an eyelash, but when it comes to Twilight Princess the tears just started flowing..._

_-Rate, review, etc...you know the deal. :) Brain monsters love reviews._


	3. Update on my Disappearence

**-To my awesometastical readers-**

**I am SO SO sorry that I haven't updated in quite a long time. I promise I haven't been eaten by Argorok or locked in battle with Stallord's mystical floating skull. My computer, however, seems to have been attacked by a roving band of Keese...who seem to have broken the screen. **

**So, since my laptop screen is now completely white and very determined to stay that way, I had been using the TV in my room as a screen until I- I mean, the **_**Keese, **_**broke that too.**

**So now I have to use the TV in the other room as a screen, and I don't usually have time to hook up my computer and get everything settled and such, so the story is going to have to be put on hold for a little while... until I can get either my laptop or my TV fixed to work on the story regularly.**

**In the meantime, I will continue to work on the story in the tiny amount of time that I can, and hopefully I can get it moving again soon.**

**Keep your claws crossed, my readers!**

**-Desi**

**(When I continue updating on a regular basis, I'll delete this "chapter.")**


	4. Chapter 3

~**Long time, no see, my faithful minions! I'm soooo sorry for how long this took. Like I said though... Keese beat up my computer. :\**

**Things will start to get interesting in the next chapters. Finally! **

Whenever he was in Epona's saddle, Link felt secure. Above the world, ready to conquer enemies with the confidence of a trained champion. During the battle with the Twilight, he wished he could do more fighting from Epona's back. He traversed much of Hyrule Field on horseback, although he preferred traveling as a wolf at night.

The little village of Ordon seemed too cramped now, compared to the vastness of Hyrule Field or the immense sprawl of SnowPeak or the Desert. Epona didn't seem to mind much, though, as she trotted through the village with her ears perked and her bouncing jog as lively as ever. Link never rode her through the village at a faster pace than her trot, for fear of running over a Cucco or two, or worse, one of the children. He and the horse had galloped across the fields and valleys for months and one of Epona's more enjoyable hobbies on the travels was running over the enemies in her path, neighing triumphantly as she did so. Frankly, now that they were back home, Link didn't exactly want to take the chance of Epona mistaking one of the kids for a Bulblin and trampling them to resemble pancakes.

Link had taken Ilia's suggestion and come down from his tree house to take Epona on a ride, needing to clear his head after the painful recollection of the last battle and the events following. He planned to go to the ranch to take the mare over some jumps in peace, since the goats would still be in the stable by the time he got there.

The butterflies were already flittering around the flowers growing in plentiful patches around the village, their shining wings flickering in the morning sun. As a wolf, Link would often chase after the nimble insects, resulting in a prod in the ribs from Midna to remind him of the task they were supposed to be focused on.

"Hey, Link!" came a childish voice from somewhere beside him. He pulled Epona to a stop, who halted with a snort and shook her mane in protest.

Colin was sitting on the high island-like outcroppings in river, fishing rod in hand as he waved enthusiastically to Link. The swordsman raised his hand in greeting to the child, but wished in the back of his mind to be on his way and on his own.

"Where are you going?" asked the blond boy, rising as if to climb down from the cliff and join Link to his destination.

Epona tossed her head as if reminding her rider of their plans, dragging a front hoof through the dirt to create disruptive furrows in the path. Link nudged her to halt her distruction of the walkway. "I was planning on taking Epona to do some jumping," he told the boy, who was looking at him with eyes sparkling with admiration-as they always were. "She and I are both a little restless."

"Can I come?" the child asked, his cheeks dimpling as he smiled in excitement. Link winced inwardly; his love of children battling with his desire to quell his thoughts in peace.

"Well, I do not think you will be able to do much jumping without a horse," Link replied, offering Colin a small playful smile. "Unless you plan to ride a goat."

Colin's face fell ever so slightly and Link frowned, seeing his disappointment. But the child perked back up again shortly after and said, "Okay, I'll just stay here and catch a big, fat fish to show you when you come back!" And so he resumed to pick up his makeshift fishing rod and cast it once more into the river.

Link gave Epona a nudge in the ribs, urging her onward, at which she complied eagerly and without hesitation. She continued her bouncing trot down the path, ears perked and eyes bright. Link was sorry to have disappointed the boy, but he was grateful that he could continue on by himself.

The gate to the ranch was open-Fado must have forgotten to close it again, but at least the goats were in the barn-and Link urged Epona through. Happy to be back at the familiar place, the sorrel mare tossed her head and let out a low nicker that made her sides vibrate from the noise.

Per usual since his return, the wooden fences had been scattered around the field of the ranch in case Link decided to come out of his seclusion and use them. Now, of course, he had, and he fed into Epona's eagerness to make a run of the course.

He tapped her into a rocking lope, then faster into a light gallop. The intelligent horse nearly knew the layout by heart, and didn't need much direction from her rider as she vaulted over the series of poles and logs. After almost every jump, the mare let out a whinny of excitement, and Link allowed himself a smile at the horse's blissful eagerness.

He didn't have time for thoughts in this period of concentration. Although his galloping mare knew almost exactly where to go and how to align herself to clear the fences, Link's thoughts retreated into a corner of his mind and stayed there, and he was carefree for the fleeting moments that he and Epona spent racing over the field. A few stray visions and thoughts flitted by, but, like nimble-winged butterflies, they evaded his grasp when he attempted to close his fist around what he sought. And he was happy to let them go.

By the time the sun had crept into visibility over the roof of the barn, both Epona and Link were sweating, the horse breathing hard, but content nonetheless. The goats bleated from their stalls, demanding to be let out and freed from the confines of their boxes. Since Fado had not arrived yet, Link took it upon himself to release the animals onto their grazing ground, making sure to sidle Epona up to the gate to lean down and close it before the herd tramped out of the barn.

Once the goats were complacently grazing, clumped together in little groups around the field, Link turned Epona and whisked her into a slow lope, deigning to jump the gate in order to leave. Just as he was about to urge her into a faster pace, however, a figure appeared at the top of the hill, waving frantically at him. A crease appeared between Link's eyebrows as he frowned, fearing that something had gone amiss in the village.

It turned out to be only the postman, running quickly towards Link in his usual outfit-which always looked to Link like his underwear-and waving around a thick letter like a madman. The strange mantra he seemed to chant while running reached Link's ears, and for a moment he was pulled back to the numerous times where this very mailman had run him down over Hyrule Field- while he was on horseback.

Finally the postman stopped in front of Link, mildly panting, holding out the letter with a heavy chorus of his usual 'Dah-dah-dah!' when he presented his cargo.

"The child in the village told me you would be here," said the postman, and Link automatically thought of Colin. "Of course I knew where you were anyway, but I didn't want to disappoint the youngster!"

Link blandly thanked the postman as the "uniformed" man saluted him before turning and jogging off, his weird mantra floating back in the air between them.

The swordsman glanced at the name on the letter. The front was blank, save for his name and the name of his village, but on the back he recognized the unmistakable insignia of the Resistance.

Climbing onto Epona-who'd he'd dismounted to intercept the postman-he spurred her on towards the gate while tucking the letter into his tunic. He would prefer to read it in the security of his own home. He rarely got letters from the Resistance-in fact, it had only occurred on one other occasion-and letters from their cause were certainly important.

Colin, who he passed on the way back through the village, had indeed caught a large fish, which the child had allowed to stay in the water while still on his hook. The boy enthusiastically showed Link his prize, who made the appropriate comments of appreciation, and told the swordsman that the fish was to become his pet.

After wishing Colin luck with his newfound companion-whether the fish was a willing companion or not, he did not question-Link let Epona blaze her own way back through the pass that led to his clearing.

Ilia, obviously, had departed, probably back to her own home, while Link had been jumping Epona. He tucked Epona away in her hollow, where the horse snorted and buried her muzzle in the long grass below her, and turned to climb the ladder and enter his home.

He did not need the assistance of a lantern or the fire to read; the light streaming in from the windows was plenty enough to shed illumination on his activities. Pulling a silver letter blade from where it sat unused on his shelf, he sat down at the table and slid the letter from his tunic.

He broke the wax seal and extracted the parchment within the envelope, noting that it was Ashei's handwriting on the paper, and began to read.

**-I do so totally love all the reviews from all you amazing people! Please continue to feed my brain monster so it can keep spitting out these chapters. :)**


	5. Chapter 4

~**Hai again! Two chapters in one day-how's that for making up for lost time? :D **

**I've been sick all weekend-nasty sinus infection-and I've got nothing better to do so I decided to go through all the hooking-up to work on this story.**

**Aha, now we're approaching the excitement of the story! Things will get a little more action-y as we go, so hang with me and remember to review. :)**

****I'm sorry if Ilia seemed a little OOC in the past chapters. I didn't really pay much attention to her in the game, so I'm sorry if her personality is a little...off. x) This chapter may be the last we hear of her, though, so there won't be any more screw-ups.**

**Enjoy! **

**-Desi**

_ Link,_

_ I am sorry if this is a bad time, but your assistance is required in Hyrule immediately. Rumors of a strange inhabitance of creatures have been circulating for a while, and yesterday they were proven right. We do not know what these creatures are, but they are extremely tough and very dangerous. We fear that they may threaten the safety of the citizens of Hyrule. They have not entered the city walls yet and Kakariko village has not reported any upset. But we fear that an attack may be impending, and Princess Zelda wishes for you to join us in Castle Town. _

_ This is simply a request; you do not have to come if you do not wish to. But, as I am sure that you of all people would be concerned for the safety of the people of Hyrule. You need not respond to this letter, as we will know your answer by whether or not we see you in the upcoming days._

_ Please consider joining us. Sincerely, _

_ Ashei, for the Resistance_

Link stared at the paper for a moment, considering the words printed on the creamy surface. Of course he was concerned for the people of Hyrule. He was their Hero, even if the threat of Ganondorf was long gone, and it was his job to protect them from anything that was a threat.

He couldn't just up and leave Ordon again though, could he? Of course the villagers would worry. The last time he'd done that, he had left in a swarm of chaos surrounding the childrens' kidnapping and Ilia's injury. And then of course there was the matter of his being dragged through the Twilight veil by a Shadow beast...

He shook his head, making the memories flee back to where he kept them locked up in the corner of his mind. This time he'd be able to say goodbye, and leave the village in a peaceful state. Besides, how long could he possibly be away?

His mind firmly made up, Link stood up from the table, tossing the letter into the fire as he strode over to his dresser. Yanking open one of the drawers and pawing through layers of plain tunics and breeches, his fingers finally grazed the soft hunter's green material of his Hero's Tunic. His heroic outfit had laid buried in the corner of the drawer, along with the memories that clung to it. He lifted the tunic out from its resting place, followed by the dark umber-brown pants and the chain mail. It took Link a little time to shrug into the chain mail, unused to the weight of the linked metal after months of working in simple cotton cloth. He yanked on his tunic and the breeches, stuffed his feet into his boots, and added the final asset- his green cap.

He tramped down his basement steps, illuminating the lantern that hung on the wall. He rummaged around in the numerous chests that lay scattered around the room, until he found his bow and the rest of his gear. Reaching up onto a shelf, he pulled down something wrapped in black cloth. Unwinding the mass of fabric, he uncovered the gold-embroidered sheath of his sword. It was not the Master Sword-he'd returned it to its rightful resting place in the Temple of Time-but it was a good blade, one that suited his needs at the moment. The hilt, made of black metal, shone with a strange light. The forms of dragons twining together were etched into the surface of the hilt.

After shaking off the rest of the cloth, Link looped the band of the sheath over his torso so it returned to its coveted place on his back, along with his quiver and his bow.

The last thing he grabbed was a small black chest, symbols that were achingly familiar glowing bright blue-green on the surface of the box. Taking a breath, Link cracked open the lid. Nestled in dark purple velvet was the fiery orange stone that allowed his transformation into a sacred beast-a wolf.

He removed the stone, wrapped it in the velvet cloth, and tucked it into his pocket. The stone was the only thing he had to remind him of Midna.

Without a second thought he gathered his saddlebags, doused the fire, and left his home.

Epona greeted him, whuffing softly and stamping her hoof as if she was impatient to leave. Link smiled at the copper colored horse, throwing the saddlebags over her back before buckling them to her saddle. Giving one last glance to his home, he mounted Epona and trotted out of the clearing towards the village.

He didn't get far. Ilia seemed to appear out of thin air next to the shop, her eyes instantly flickering to him. Epona's ear's swiveled towards the girl, nodding her head as her step lightened to a bouncing prance.

As Link pulled Epona to a halt next to Ilia, he didn't even have to open his mouth to explain before the girl said, "You're leaving again, aren't you?"

He definitely couldn't fool Ilia. What could he tell her? That he'd be back soon? No-he didn't know when he'd be back. So he just nodded.

"Did the Princess send for you?" Ilia asked, her eyes pinning him to the spot. "I saw the postman leaving the village this morning."

Link nodded again. "The Resistance needs me back in Castle Town," he replied, his sword suddenly feeling hot against his back. "...I don't know how long I'll be gone."

Ilia's face fell ever so slightly. She had just gotten Link back-sort of. Now he was leaving again. "Promise you will come back though," she murmured, her eyes meeting his again.

Link offered her a small smile. "I'll do my best," he vowed, trying to avoid the word 'promise.'

Ilia noticed and her eyes clouded. But she spoke anyway, her voice holding sorrow. "Take care of Epona," she said quietly. "Goodbye, Link."

"Goodbye, Ilia," Link replied softly, regret tugging at his heart.

He continued on through the village, hating the disappointed looks he received when he told the residents that he was leaving. Bo seemed to be the most understanding, and he patted Link on the back and wished him luck. Colin wasn't as accepting, and his first request was to accompany Link on his journey. Link smiled apologetically at the child and said that it was too dangerous, but assured him that he would be back to take him on a grand adventure someday.

His heart felt strangely heavy as he loped out of the village, passing his home again on the way. The first time he had left it had been quick and unexpected, not to mention by force, and he had eagerly accepted the quest so he could save Ilia and the children from their capture. But now he felt sorrowful to turn his back on his home once again. Needing assurance, he told himself that it might be good to leave Ordon in order to protect the village.

He pushed Epona into a gallop as they crossed the bridge leading into Faron woods, and the horse eagerly accepted the pace change. Her powerful muscles moved under Link as the mare thundered across the wooden planks and into the forest beyond.

The red-orange of twilight had begun to tinge the ground, signaling the arrival of dusk. Link cursed to himself. He should have timed his departure better- he did not want to be traveling at night. He preferred traversing the dark hours as a wolf, but that would mean leaving Epona somewhere unguarded. Normally he would have left her in one of the springs, where he knew the Light spirits would watch over her, but he had planned on making the journey on horseback, especially since all of his gear was stored in the horse's saddlebags.

Grumbling to himself, he slowed Epona's gait to a trot as he neared Faron spring. He would either have to leave the mare here until he reached Castle Town and could call her, or he would have to turn back and make the trip the following day.

He was impatient, though. He did not want to return to the village after saying all those good-byes. Epona would just have to stay where she was safe until he reached his destination and called for her.

It wasn't that he was afraid to travel by horseback at night, but that he did not like putting himself and his horse in danger by riding across the treacherous fields without knowing what was around the corner. In his wolf form, he could rely on his heightened senses to pick up on enemies and any danger that might be waiting.

Apologizing to the mare, Link halted Epona as she splashed into the water. The horse stopped, tossing her head in protest. She knew his intentions, obviously.

The swordsman dismounted, giving his horse a pat beneath her mane. Epona peered at him with one big brown eye.

"I'm sorry, my good horse," he said to the chestnut mare, "But I want you to be safe, so you stay here. I will call for you as soon as I reach the town."

With a last firm pat on Epona's strong neck, Link plucked the horse whistle the Ilia had given him from its place in the saddlebag. He looped the woven cord he had made for it around his neck, tucking it beneath his tunic.

Suddenly feeling the presence of the otherworldly stone in his pocket, as if it was calling for his transformation, Link reached for the pull of his power and embraced the change.

Fur sprouted from his skin, rippling over his body as he took to four legs. The change was fast and easy, as he was accustomed to the shift in forms. He did not need to rid himself of his clothing before he phased-the wolf form was merely like another slate for his body to slip into.

When it was completed and the silver light had faded, he shook out his long coat and allowed his senses to grow accustomed to the light-which had grown dimmer. Epona was peering at him, a curious but otherwise completely unsurprised expression in her eyes.

"Hurry and return to your human form, Link," said the horse. "I will come when you call me. Starlight guide your paws, friend."

The wolf that was Link nodded at his mare. "I will go as fast as I can," he replied. "Stay safe, Epona."

Water danced up around him as he turned and trotted out of the spring, immediately springing into a fast sprint as soon as his paws hit dry land. The gathering darkness cast shadows along the tunnel that led deeper into the woods as he passed through it, reminding him eerily of when he and Midna hunted down the ominous Shadow Insects in the exact same tunnel.

The grass rustled as he pelted through the woods, tongue flying from his mouth as he ran at top speed through Faron. Coro, dozing in his usual spot in front of his pot of gruesome brew, didn't even start as Link dashed through the clearing; he merely snorted a little, stirring the birds housed in his hair, and then went back to snoozing.

Link had not encountered any enemies on his passage through Faron and Ordon, but this was normal. However he knew that once he got onto the open Hyrule Field, all of the usual threats would come charging back at him. Bokoblins were common in the part of the field that he was nearing, and he knew that wasting energy by trying to defeat them was pointless.

Huffing, the wolf galloped through the wooden gate, thundering through the passage that spat out onto the field. Almost immediately, a blue-skinned Bokoblin spotted him and made a grating growl-squeal as it raised its weapon and lumbered towards Link. The wolf growled, knowing that he'd have to dispatch this one since it had already seen him. He did not feel like dashing through the field while trailing a mob of Bokoblins.

With a snarl building in his throat, Link launched himself at the troll-like creature and locked his dagger-like teeth around its throat. The monster squealed in pain, the sound clawing at Link's sensitive ears, while blue-black blood leaked from the wound in its jugular. Once the creature dropped to the ground, the wicked-looking blade in its hand clattering into the dirt, Link jumped back and let the Bokoblin fall. It gurgled once and then was still, and Link spit the blood from his mouth before digging his claws into the dirt and launching into a run again.

He took the long rout through the field, not wanting to run into any red Bokoblins, which took much more time to bring down. He wanted to get to Castle Town as quickly as possible, and avoiding enemies seemed like the easiest way to do this.

Just as he was reaching the turn that would take him to the passage to the next part of the field, a loud cawing from above him brought him to a screeching halt. He swore to himself. Kargaroks. The huge birdlike creatures would not easily be outrun, and their hit-and-fly techniques would make them a huge hindrance to his progress onward. He turned his ice-blue eyes to the inky black sky and saw, sure enough, the blue-gray outline of the beast's wings. The Kargarok emitted another hoarse cry, circling him on leathery wings, and he answered, his threatening snarl carrying up into the brisk night air.

The monster made another noise and dropped lower, its cruel beak open as if it would try to scoop Link up right off of the ground, despite his obvious size. Link began to circle, a growl rumbling low in his throat, keeping his eyes firmly on his enemy. When the Kargarok dove, he was ready, and he leapt into the air to intercept it. Working with the instincts of the beast whose form he took, Link brought the creature down, his sharp teeth seeking its neck. The birdlike monster shrieked as Link's fangs pierced its leathery skin, wings beating frantically as it tried to escape the wolf's grasp. The sharp beak found purchase on Link's foreleg, slicing a shallow but painful cut across the flesh. Link snarled sharply, a harsh whine escaping briefly, but at that moment he locked his jaws around the monster's thin neck and, with a sickening crack, broke it cleanly in two.

Dropping the limp carcass to the ground, Link limped back from the body to inspect his wound. The angry cut wept thin lines of blood, tracking down the fur of his leg like little red raindrops. It wasn't serious, but it smarted a bit, and Link licked at it to clear the mess from the cut. He tested his weight on the leg, exhaling loudly when he found that it did not hinder his movement much. Scanning the dark skies for any more Kargaroks before turning towards the pass, Link broke into a rolling lope once more.

-**Yay! Blood and guts and violence, oh my! If you've stayed with me so far I thank you, because I have a habit of drawing things out longer than they need to be. Details, details! **

**Anyway, if you liked it, hated it, fell in love with it, sneezed on it-or a combination of any of those, please review. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**-Again, I apologize for the late update! I've just been super busy lately... Ugh, curse you, gravity!**

**Anymoo, I appreciate your patience with my brain monster, who is currently nomming on my thoughts and evoking a terrible case of writer's block... This chapter is really short and it's all his fault.**

**Oh well. Next chapter will be longer, I promise.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Desi**

Link's progress through the pass was short lived. Not even halfway through he came upon a towering blockage of boulders, obstructing the way through the pass. Link cursed at himself, knowing full well that he did not have any bombs with him to clear the obstacle. The wall of rocks was too tall to jump, and too slippery to climb.

The wolf snarled. Damn it all, he thought, scolding himself for not clearing the obstruction earlier. He would have to take the long way to Castle Town, over the Bridge.

He retraced his way out of the path before starting up his rocking lope again, tracing his own trail around the outskirts of the field. He passed through undetected, thanks to the shadows that he slipped fluidly through. His paws drummed rhythmically on the stony area of the field as he ran along the steep cliff that dropped off into oblivion.

He knew the way to the town like the back of his hand-or rather, his paw. He could easily find his way to and fro even under the cover of midnight, such as he was doing now. He sped to a gallop as he left the previous section of Hyrule Field, ignoring the sharp throbbing of the cut across his leg.

Stars dotted the sky like a million candle flames, lighting the inky canvas with tiny pinpoints of color. Link didn't need the aid of the starlight or the luminescent moonbeams, however, as he raced on through Hyrule. His eyes shone like turquoise, the broken shackle still around his ankle clinking and jingling as he ran.

The wolf made quick work of the passage that led to the lake, navigating the twisting path with ease and avoiding the Bulblin archers that lurked along the cliffs above. He narrowly avoided taking an arrow in his side, but swerved just in time to avoid the flaming projectile.

Falbi's Flight by Fowl attraction appeared on his left, a clear sign of his approach on the bridge. The colorful building always seemed to stand out against the pale green-and-brown landscape of the cliffs. Link's sensitive ears picked up the clucking of the cuccos inside.

He came upon the tall pillars marking the start of the bridge, the crumbling stone seeming to scrape the night sky above. Link's claws clicked on the rough paving as he ran, catching sight of a lone Bulblin wandering around. This one he could not avoid, as well as the one at the other end, but they could be dispatched easily. His kill was fast as he came upon his enemy, leaping onto the Bulblin's back and nearly tearing its head off. The monster flopped to the ground, blood staining the clean gray of the stone.

The harsh croaks of the birdlike creatures soaring above him didn't hinder Link as he raced onwards across the bridge, the impact of his paws on the hard stone sending jolts of pain through his injured leg. He found himself yearning to be back on softer ground again-or better yet, in the warm comfort of the Tavern.

The second Bulblin he took down with little difficulty. The creature had been facing the opposite direction, oblivious to his advance, enabling Link to rush up and leap on its back to snap its spinal cord in two with his teeth. Once the Bulblin dropped dead to the ground, Link galloped on across the end of the bridge.

Unfortunately, more enemies awaited his crossing, and the sticky squelch of Chus echoed around him as he loped into the tunnel-like formation of rocks. A second later the gelatinous creatures dropped from above, landing with a squishing plop around Link. The Chus were an avoidable enemy that lacked the ability to pursue him, so Link kept his pace and evaded the formless creatures.

Ringing wails sprung up from seemingly nowhere as soon as Link thought he was free of the tunnel. He ground to a halt as stalhounds emerged from the ground in a shower of dirt and bone. Their eerie, empty eyes cast a ghostly chill along with their gaping fang-filled mouths, but the skeletal dogs didn't deter Link even as they surrounded him. The wolf crouched and snarled as the pack of undead dogs lurched closer to him, their movements choppy as they shuffled on bony appendages.

The voice that came from the first stalhound was one that made Link want to cover his sensitive ears with his paws. He could only compare it to the sound of two rocks being ground together-or the sound of bone against bone.

"Wolf invades our territory. We must kill wolf!" it said, its limp jaw clacking together with its grating words. "Pack must attack wolf!"

At the lead stalhound's words, the other skeletal creatures took up rasping growls that mimicked the sound of a sword being dragged across a slate stone. The six monsters tightened their circle around Link, who snarled harshly with turquoise eyes flashing.

"This is only your territory until the sun rises over the horizon," the hero-beast growled, his lips curling menacingly over his teeth. "Then the rest of the world will be free to travel over this land whenever they please to do so."

The band of stalhounds did not falter at Link's words, nor did they slow their advance. Their jerky movements and jumbled limbs seemed to fall in sync as they lurched closer to the wolf. Link crouched low, prepared to spring, his teeth glinting in the bright moonlight that filtered through a crack in the tunnel.

Suddenly, without any warning, the stalhounds halted instantly, turned, and with wailing cries of obvious fear, bolted away to bury back under the ground. Link pulled himself upright, confused and suspicious, his senses wide open to his surroundings. His nostrils flared, taking in the scents on the wind like a fine-tuned tracker, searching for whatever had caused the stalhounds to flee so suddenly.

Cautiously, brilliant blue eyes narrowed, he trotted out of the tunnel. His paws met the grass and he sighed inwardly as he felt the give of the ground beneath his injured leg. He stopped a moment, taking in the sights of the area as well as the many sounds and scents that greeted him as he welcomed the open air. He felt much more secure on an open plain where he could see his enemies coming; however his nerves were on edge as the reminder of a possible hidden threat prickled in his mind.

He trotted a little further onto the field, the sight of the castle only a mile or so away bringing ease to his anxiety. But, just as he was beginning to release the pin of worry that had rooted in his mind, something made him freeze right on the spot.

He was being watched.

Slowly he turned his head to the right, towards a towering tree whose branches seemed to disappear against the darkness of the sky. The fur along his haunches prickled as his ears flattened against his skull, lip drawn up in the beginnings of a snarl.

And then he started as he caught sight of his mysterious watcher-or rather, the eyes that belonged to his watcher. His turquoise met their amber-a peculiar shade of fiery red-orange as wild as the flames of a pyre. His mind registered those eyes instinctively, those eyes with the distinctive exotic slant and feminine shape. His heart soared and he dared to think one name: Midna?

But just as he was about to break into a gallant run and confirm that his wish had come true, the flame-red of the eyes in the tree warped to an unearthly shade of violet purple as vibrant as the dark hues of a sunset. The sound of wings beating at the air echoed through the stretched silence as something took to the sky and the eyes disappeared, mischievous feminine laughter trailing in the wake like an eerie song.

Link couldn't seem to move in the seconds that followed the strange occurrence, his surprised stare glued to the spot where he had witnessed what seemed to be an achingly identical replica of the eyes of his lost love. Finally managing to tear his gaze away from the tree, he turned and launched into a rapid gallop across the remainder of Hyrule Field. Ignoring the pain in his leg, he headed directly towards the outline of Hyrule Castle silhouetted against the now-lightening sky.

**-So! Link is on his way to the Resistance. What will he find when he gets there? Hehehe...You'll just have to wait to find out!**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated...and please tell my brain monster to quit eating my ideas.**


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